Milking-machine



E. A. LAUGHLIN.

MILKlNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24. 1915.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1w MQMOQ.

E. A. LAUGHLIN.

MlLKlNG MACHINE. APPLICATION' man APR.24. |915.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 E. A. LAUGHLIN.

MILKINGMACHINE.

APPLICATlON FILED APR. 24.1915.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 l Il sll/ 2.//444 mm ELMYR A. LAUGHLIN,

or CHICAGo, ILLINOIS.

MILKING-MACHINE.

Igiesaoe.

Specication of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. l1, 1916.

v lApplication filed April 24, 1915. Serial No. 23,668.

To all 'whom t may concern:

' Be it known that I, ELMYR A.ILAUGHLIN, a-/ citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, Statel of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Milking-Machines and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to milkingf machines.

lHeretofore it has been customary to locate the can and Vpulsator some distance away from the animal and connect the teat cups to the pulsator through the medium of a long rubber hose. Under such conditions it is necessary in order to effect a pulsation of a cup to exhaust the air fromV the hose and then allow it to refill which naturally takes time and materially retards theoperation of milking.

It is therefore my purpose to provide a machine of the type named in which v,the cups and the receiving can are suspended directly from the animal with a strap or belt passing over the back thereof, the cups` being attached directly to the pulsator and intermediate lengths of hose, or tube which it is diflicult to keep clean and sterile dispensed with. l

My machine so arranged also has another distinct advantage in that the rapidity of the milking .operation is greatly increased and it is a well known fact that the' mere rapid the cow is milked the more and richer will be the milk. v e

It is also my purpose to provide a milking1 machine embodying an improved construction for instituting the milking operation and a further improved construction designed to automatically cut out the operation vof a given head of the machine when' the flow of milk'jto that particular head;l

ceases. In this way the machine is rendered automatic and safe so that after same is once started it does not have -fto be constantly'watched by an attendant while at the same time guarding against injury to the animal.

I further propose to provide a milking machine in which only two of the cups are collapsed simultaneously whereby a severe strain on the animal is obviated and natural milking conditions produced.

My milking machine also embodies an improved construction of teat cup whereby the initial cllapse of the cup starts at the upper end thereof and progressively descends so as to simulate the natural movement of the hand in milking.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to-be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters ofi-efercnce denote corresponding parts in the sevyeral views, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the pulsator and a fragment of the can of a milking machine constructed in accordance with the inventhey would occupy just before the vacuum in the heads of the machine on the left is relieved; Fig. 1, a view similar to Fig. 2 with the parts in the position they would occupy just before the vacuum in the heads of the machine' on the right is relieved; Fig.

5, a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6,

a longitudinal section of the 'pulsator piston; Fig. 7, a sator piston; Fig. 8, a section on the line 8,-8 of Fig. 2; Fig. 9, a view similar to Fig. 8 Awith the parts in the position shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 10, a vertical section through one of the` teat cups employed in the machine; Fig. 11, a view in elevation showing the manner of -securing the device to a cow; and F ig 12, a vertical section through a modified form of teat cup.

Referring to the drawings the improved milking. machine vis lshown, as comprising a can 15 provided with a spout 16. Secured on opposite sides of the can 15 are handles 17 provided with a plurality of notches 18 for a purpose that will presently appear. vEngaged onl each handle 17 are two rings 19 and secured to 'each ring 19 is one endof straps or beltsl 20. These rings perspective view of the pulbinding screws 23 is a casing A which closes l into lesser hambers 25 and 26. The casing the opening 21 and of the pulsator. vj The casing A includes an enlarged central chamber in which is mounted a diaphragm 24- dividin e enlarged central chamber carries the mechanism end 44 of the casing to form a leakage way -so that when the milk stops flowing the 'portionalready in the casing 319 leaks out through the clearance 49l and associated nozzle and permits the fioat 45 to descend to automatically shut ofi' the vacuum from the particular head of the machine. l

' Formed in the casing A adj of the chamber 27 is a free air port 50and connected to the casing A with one end in communication with the free air ,port 50 is a free air pipe 51. The other end of each pipe 51communicates with a pipe 52 deacent each end i V A also includes a substantially cylindrical\ pending from an air strainer 53, the latter chamber 27 in which is mounted ,for recipro being supported by 'means of braces 54 havcation apiston 28. Depending from each ingr corresponding ,ends connected to respecend of the chamber.27 is a spout 29 one end tive casings 31. The pipe 52 has mounted of which communicates with said hamber therein a valve 5.5- whereby the flow of air 27 and thel other end with fthe interior of through the pipes 51 is controlled. the canl 15. Extending laterally from the Each of the teat cups B isconstructed of casing A at each end of the chamber 27 are suitable rubber andcomprises a tubular body nozzles 30, there being two such nozzles at tapering from itsv upper end in the direction each end of the chamber 27 oppositely'dis-'- of its lower end. Formed integral with eachr posed. Each'v nozzle30 supports at. its outer cup on the outer side thereof is a spiral rib end a float casing 31 and each casing'31 is 56, the space between the convolutions rof provided with-a removable top 32 having a whichdecreases in a direction from the top j nipple 33 over which` is engaged the lower yto the bottom of the cup and in addition thee'nd o f ateat cupfB. The-'piston 28 `isf hollow thickness of the ribD increases inathe same and 1s provided at diametrica'lly'opposite direction. By thisl construction the cup 'is points with longitudinal slots 34. Slidablyf reinforced from its top l towardv its bottom mounted on the piston 28 is a sleeve 35 rprogressively 'so that when the vacuum is which is connected to the diaphragm 24 by formed within the cup the upper end will means of clampinga'collarsv36. Carried by collapse first and'such collapsed status prothe sleeve 35 is a Ipin 37 which extends gress'ively advanced toward the lower end through the slots 34 and is disposed bevof'the cup. At the same time s'uch a contweenthe inner ends 4of springs 38 which struction causesthe cup to resume its origiv latter are confined within the piston 28. o The nal shape when the vacuum is relieved rand sleevel 35 is provided on opposite sides.A of prevents a total collapse of the cup at any l-the dlaphragm 24 with openings 39 which point where thereis nothing to resist' it.

communicate respectively-with the chambers When the vacuum is created in the cup the. 25C and 26 for a purpose that will presently upper end collapses and exerts a pressure Y appear. `The piston 28 is ,providedl with va inward from all directions the same `as if -rnovementI-except under predetermined condltlons that will. hereinafter appear.

pair oi longitudinal grooves 40 which open they diameter were reduced by hand emilkthrough respective ends of the piston and ying when the thumb and forctinger` are -are each provided with lateral extensions brought together. This shuts of'thevsupply 41. The piston 28 is further provided advof milk and the collapse of thecup then pro- ]acent each end with a notch n which is J gresses downwardly and produces the same adapted t9 engage a spring latch 43l for effect as if the first thumb and finger action the purpose of lockingtle piston against were followedby the natural milking move-A ment of the second, third and fourth lingers respectively. l

Each casing-"31 is provided with a reduced In operati@ thev can .15 is suitably conlower end 44 and disposed in each casing 31 nected' with a vacuum vpump through the is a oat 45. having a reduced lower end 46 -medium of a .hose 'As he, air is eX- operating inthe reduced lower end 440i the hausted from the can 15 a `vacuum is formed casing 31. This float 45 isprovided with a in the end of the chamber 27 which is free longitudinal bore` 47 which I-also passes of the piston 28 and such vacuum is also thr'oughthe reduced lower end 46. Each v transmitted through theadjacent nozzles' 30 caslng 3 1 carries a spring plunger 48 operatto the linteriorof the adjacent casings 31, the lng against the bottom of the adjacent oat {ioats 45 in said casinghaving been manually 45 and whereby the lattermay, be .elevated elevated through theV medium ofthe plungers manually to institu'tefthe bperation'of the 48.* Such vacuum alsoioccursin the adjacent A particular head'jof themachine; A clearteat cups B causing'the latter to collapse ance; 49. 1s provlded between the reduced progressivelyjfron'iy their topstoward 'their portion 46 and the wall of the reduced'lower" bottoms.' When this-occurs air is then el;A

"piston 28.

hausted from the chamber 25 through the groove 40 causing the diaphragm 24 to inove in the direction of the suction. During this movement of the diaphragm the pin 37 compresses one of the springs 38 causing the latter to exert a pressure against the During this movement of the diaphragm the sleeve 35 moves on the piston 28 until it engages and lifts the latch 43 out of the notch 42. As soon as the latch 43 is disengaged from the notch 42 the piston'28 movel o the other end of the chainber 27 and /closes the nozzles 30 and spout 29 against the influence of the suction Within the can. At the same time the heads at the opposite end of the chamber 27 are automatically brought into operation. W hen the piston 28 pai-takes of the,l movement just referred to Ithe extension 2:l1-of the groove 4f() is brought into registration With the free air port 50 and the vacuum -in the chamber 25' is automatically relieved by the air passing through the' strainer 53, pipe 52, pipe 51, vfree air port 50, groove extension 4:1, groove Ll0 and port 39. Through the medium of the valve 55 the speed at which the dia hragm moves can be regulated andit will e seen that movement of the diaphragm cannot be had until the `air has been exhausted from the float casings and the cups, thus making the operation of the machine automatic and independent of adjustment by the operator.

It will be noted that the nipple 33 on thel top of each casing 31 is disposed eccentri cally which permits quite a range of adjustment of the cups B by simply rotating the topsof the casings 31, such adjustmentsrbeing exceedingly useful in, properly litting the device to a particular animal.

In the modied form of teatcup shown in Fig. 12 I provide a plurality of circumscribing ribs 60. The spaces between these ribs decrease in Width and of course area from the top toward the bottom ofthe cup,

and in addition the said ribs progressively when a teat cup is"constructed as shown in Fig. 12 and-a vacuum is formed therein said cup Will collapse initially at itstop and progressively downwardv and thus simulate the natural movement of the hand in milking. lVhile I have illustrated and described one form of carrying my invention into practice it Will be obvious that various changes in the details of construction and in the arrangement ofthe parts may be resorted to Without departing from the scope of' the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is l. In a milking machine, the combination of a can adapted for attachment to lan air exhausting device, a pulsator 'rigid with the can and automatically operated by the eX- haust of air from the can, teat cup 'supports1 on the pulsator, teat cups carried by the supports and operatively connected to the pulsator, and means for suspending9 the can bodily from the animal in correct relation for the application oi the teat cup.

2.In a milking machine, the combination of a plurality of teat cups, a pulsator operatively Iconnected with said cups and-adapted to simultaneously exhaust air froma` predetermined number of the cups and simultaneously supply air to the remainder of, the

cups, said pulsator including a reciprocating latter and pulsator, and a teat cup connected to the float casing and communicating there- `with. t

4t. A teat. cup comprising a flexible/ tubularr shell, a spiral rib formedv integral With the shell on the, outer-side thereof, said rib increasing in thickness from the upper toward thelowerfend' of the cup. y f

5. A teat cup comprising a flexible tubular roo shell, a spiral,ri'b formed integral With ,the

shell on the outer side thereof, the convolutions of said rib approaching each other in a ldirection from the top to the bottom of the cup.,

6. In a milking machine, the combination of' a can adapted for attachment to an air exhausting device, a pulsatox: rigidly secured tothe'jcan and automatically operated by the exhaust o'fair from the can, teat cups operatively connected to and directly supported by the pulsator, and means for adjusting -s'aid cupsrelatively to their support.

`7. Ina milking machine the combination of a oat casing having a mi'lk outlet therein, andv a float in 'said casing normally closing the milk outlet/ and adapted to be elevated by-the accumulation of milk in-thecasing to vopen the milk outlet, said float having a longitudinal passage through which the milk is adapted to flow to the milk outlet.

8. In a milking machine the combination of a float casing having a milk outlet thereiii, a float in said casing normally closlng the milk outlet and adapted to be elevated by the `accumulation of milk in the casing to open the milk outlethaving a longitudinal passage'through which the milk-is adapted to flow to the milk outlet, and means forX vinw draining the accumulated milk from the cas- Y y milk outlet and adapted to be -held in position to open the outlet by accumulated milk in the casing, and aspring retracted Ilifter carried by the casing and manfually operable 10 to elevate the float independent of-acculnu- Witnesses lated milk to allow thecasing to fill the Boat independent of accumulated milk to .allow the casing te lill.

/In testimony whereof, I affix my signat/ure, in the presence of two Witnesses.

ELMYR A. LAUGrI-ILIll.y

v MJ S. FRASER,y Y THos. S.N0RT0NE. 

